A Hound at the Hearth
by spirithorse
Summary: The Royal Court in Pendragon believed that Schneizel and his countess were living the perfect life, a fairy tale. The court only knew half the truth. Takes place in the same universe as The Demon of Avalon.


**Author's Note: **Dedicated, as always, to Esprit hikari.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Code Geass.

**Warnings:** graphic sex

* * *

**A Hound at the Hearth**

"They enchanted the child with magic most strong; they gave him might to be the best of all knights; they gave him another thing, that he should be a rich king; they gave him the third that he should live long; they gave to him – that royal child – virtues very good so that he was the most generous of all men alive."

– _Brut_, Layaman

Keldton Hall was nothing like the royal castle in Pendragon. It didn't look like it could be defended easily, built in the open, airy style of the southern villas. Then again, Keldton was far enough towards the center of Britannia that the Maldini family didn't have to worry about defending their land. Any enemy that got as far as the hall would have had to push their way deep into the interior of the country. Schneizel wasn't sure if the placement had been a good choice, but it certainly it meant that the family had more stability, which was probably why they had risen in power so quickly. Of course, the Malidinis were still only minor nobility, having just been raised to the status of earl by his father for their assistance to the crown.

Schneizel was still in the dark about what assistance the Malidini family had provided, but he was sure that he could make a close guess. His father was obsessed with obliterating anything magic, so they must have assisted in the good fight. Of course, that had been the reason that was spread down the procession as they had made their way to the hall. It had made Schneizel want to berate the people who were riding close to him to use their heads, but it was not his place as prince to do that. Instead, he had used the time to begin forming his own theories.

The southern tribes never came close to Keldton Hall, so there was no reason for the Maldinis to involve themselves in that messy affair. Schneizel was sure that there were a few magicians on the Malidini estate, but those people would be good at hiding themselves. The only magicians that his father or the church ever caught were the obvious ones, the ones that didn't know better and the ones that had been pushed forward as a sacrifice.

There was something else that the Maldinis had assisted the emperor with then. Something that Emperor Vincent wasn't telling anyone about. Schneizel could only guess that it had something to do with the unease coming from the countries surrounding Britannia. There hadn't been news of a war, but he was sure that one was stirring.

As the spare, he had to be aware of any upcoming wars. The emperor might take it into his head to send Odysseus into battle in an attempt to present the heir to the throne in a better light, but that would only get Odysseus killed. Schneizel liked his half brother enough that he didn't want to see that happen. He also wanted Odysseus to remain alive as his buffer. As long as his older brother was alive, Schneizel wouldn't be sent off to lead an army. He wasn't so arrogant that he thought himself able to do that, at least not yet. There were a few more books of tactics in the library at Pendragon that he wanted to study before he was sure. His only problem was that studying had become difficult.

Schneizel ducked his head as a trio of ladies walked past him in the hall, their maids trailing behind them. All six women gave him a long look, the ladies more hopeful than their maids. Schneizel just nodded to them, fighting with what was left of his self control to keep looking ahead instead of staring after them. He didn't want to encourage any of them, not when there were horrible repercussions that might follow. Schneizel had plans, ones that would keep him happily occupied for the rest of his life and they did not involve getting married at fifteen to a young woman who he had the misfortune of getting pregnant. He could already imagine the outcry if he refused outright.

He tried to make himself look smaller without losing his posture, wanting to just disappear into the stones. It was a strange and horrible feeling and Schneizel hated it just as much as the random surges of lust he would get when looking at a beautiful young woman or an attractive man.

Fifteen was a vile age and he couldn't wait to leave it behind. He wanted to be able to work and think without being distracted by his body. Schneizel had tried to ignore it, but his calculated self control was in tatters. He still clung to it as his only defense, praying nearly constantly that it would be enough to get him through the day. Burying his head in books didn't turn the urge off, nor did riding Damocles until they were both exhausted. Giving into the temptation didn't work either, and Schneizel was a bit disappointed by the process as well. There were always maids that were willing to bed a prince, but Schneizel didn't want to encourage them. They would capture his attention for a fleeting moment, enough for his self control to slip, but they could never hold his attention. By the time he turned sixteen, Schneizel was sure that he would have given himself a reputation of leaving a trail of broken hearts behind him.

He reached out to trail a hand over the stone, using it to steady himself. The stone was cold and solid, what he had to be to get through their latest stop on the royal progress.

They had traveled all around the kingdom, avoiding where his Uncle Charles lived like the plague, and were now heading home. All he had to do was push through a few nights at Keldton and then he would be home where he could lose himself in places where only he was allowed and no longer have to listen to the mind numbing chatter of the court unless he wanted to.

Schneizel continued his trudge through the halls, taking the ones that would lead him away from the courtyard at the center of the hall, where his father at Earl Maldini were talking, probably renewing the vows of a noble to his king. Odysseus would be there, but Schneizel didn't have to be. He should have gone, but he didn't think his self control would stand the close quarters. What he needed was somewhere quiet where he could gather himself back together again.

He need to be calm, cool and collected. Anything else meant that situation was out of control, and that was enough to start him panicking.

The hall he was following led him toward the back of the house, Schneizel considering taking a walk around the entire house to calm him down when he heard a soft sound from the door to his right. He frowned and walked up to the door, nudging it open carefully.

He had found the library, Schneizel staring in wonder at the shelves that were built around the room. It wasn't as grand as the one in Pendragon, but he had gotten used to the fact that no library would measure up to it. Still, the library at Keldton was just as interesting, because most of the shelves were built to hold scrolls, which would mean the more ancient texts that the archbishop of Pendragon wouldn't let them keep. Schneizel smiled to himself, sneaking into the room and easing the door shut. The archbishop wasn't here to scold him, and he was sure that there would be some excellent records of military tactics. Even if tactics relied heavily on magic, it would be an interesting exercise, to see where the weaknesses were. Maybe they would have a chance if the southern tribes attack or, more likely, if one of the other countries who still allowed magic to be used got tired of Britannia pushing them around.

Schneizel walked over to one of the shelves, looking at the tags that were hanging out of the ends. He browsed through one row, already planning on how he was going to get to the scrolls that were higher up when there was something scraped across the floor behind him.

He spun around, staring at the boy that wandered out from one of the shelves. The boy didn't seem to see Schneizel, his full concentration on the scrolls that he was carrying to the table. He set them down carefully before unrolling one, scanning through the contents while checking himself on something spread out on the table beside him.

When the boy didn't bother to acknowledge his presence, Schneizel strolled over, shocked by how deep in study the boy was. Schneizel had made sure to cross his line of sight, but the boy had not looked up. He smiled to himself, not sure if he was insulted or interested, he was mostly intrigued. Here was a boy about his age and obviously of good enough breeding to know how to read – Schneizel moved behind the boy to look at the scroll he had opened – an archaic version of their own language, and yet he wasn't outside with the others. He was sure to be a noble's son or the son of a scribe, yet here he was, still working at something like his life depended on it.

Curiosity got the better of Schneizel. He leaned over to look at the parchment that the boy was checking the scroll against, his eyebrows rising as he realized what it was.

It was a treaty with Meshech, an official alliance with the country and Britannia. And, from what Schneizel could tell from a quick skimming of the document, it would preclude a war.

He raised his eyebrows, taking a step back. This had to be the document that his father had come to sign, and Schneizel was relieved to see that it was solid. His father was foolish enough to sign the treaty even if it would mean going to war. Schneizel was sure that the emperor would come up with some reason to attack Meshech, probably while calling on the fact that the country was overrun with magicians. Schneizel didn't even know if Meshech had magicians, an oversight that he would have to take care of soon. Odysseus didn't have the heart to stop their father and Carine seemed to be a vicious little thing, even at just a few months old. Of course, that could be Schneizel's dislike of babies. They were noisy, loud and took up all of his father's time when the emperor should have been worrying about other things.

Schneizel was startled out of his thoughts when the boy turned around abruptly. The boy squeaked, reaching for something and lashing out. Schneizel stepped out of the way, holding his hands up to show that he was unarmed. Even though he was within his rights to punish the boy for attacking a royal prince, Schneizel had been the one lurking behind him. He cleared his throat to apologize when the boy hit his arm with a piece of wood.

He stumbled back, clutching at his arm and staring at the boy. Outside of his sword lessons, he was never struck.

The boy didn't seem to notice his surprise, puffing out his chest. "You're not supposed to be in here. The library is closed until we're finished. No one is supposed to see this."

"You'll make an exception for me." Schneizel snapped at the boy, irritated by attack and the way that the boy was talking to him. "I am Prince Schneizel."

"Prove it."

Schneizel lost what small grasp he had on his self control then. It had been a long ride to Keldton Hall and he had been stuck listening to people who didn't have any sense between them. His father would drag out negotiations just to tour around the countryside some more when he _knew_ that there were important things to consider back in Pendragon. The treaty may have saved them one war, but Schneizel was sure that his father would start another one to ease his paranoia. Usually Schneizel could hold his anger towards his father in check, but after a mere boy from a minor noble family questioning his right, he temper snapped.

He rushed forward, grabbing the peace of wood and throwing it to the side. To his annoyance, the boy didn't cower, he just stared. Schneizel clenched his hands by his side, scrambling for any semblance of control. "I know you recognize me."

"You're going to have to prove it, because this is too important."

"Don't you think I know that?!" Schneizel back handed the boy, watching as he sprawled out against the desk. "I have studied this same problem for months. As a prince it's in my right to know what the treaty entails."

"You're not the emperor, and you won't be." The boy grinned up at him. "Prince Odysseus is going to be the next emperor, so it's none of your business."

Schneizel reached out and pulled the boy close by the collar of his shirt. "Odysseus couldn't govern a duck pond. Now apologize to me."

The boy seemed to consider the question before shaking his head. Schneizel didn't even give him a chance to come up with another insulting response. He just punched the boy in the face twice, just like Bismarck Waldstein had taught him. Waldstein had said that it was rare that a prince would have to fight his own battles without a sword, but he wanted the heirs to the throne ready for anything.

He let the boy drop on the desk again, watching as he tried to stop his nose from bleeding. It wasn't broken; Schneizel was too careful to leave evidence like that. If Earl Maldini hadn't been so desperate for the emperor's approval, then his actions could have been enough for Maldini to demand some sort of repayment. As it was, a nose bleed and something that looked like it would become a spectacular black eye could have been gotten from playing or sword practice. And no boy, impertinent or not, was going to own up to insulting a prince of Britannia.

Schneizel smirked and flexed his hand, trying to ease the ache. "That's a reminder to respect your betters. Don't let me catch you speaking to me or any of my family that way again."

He walked out of the room without a backwards glance, hating that he had to make an exit to preserve his dignity. There were a few scrolls that he had wanted to read before the whole affair had happened. But they would be visiting at Keldton Hall for many days, so there would be time enough. Hopefully when the boy was no longer there.

* * *

Schneizel found it ironic that the only place he could find to escape in Keldton was the garden. He had never ventured into the garden at the royal palace in Pendragon; it had always been Lady Marianne and Lady Odetta's place. Charles' wife and Cornelia's mother had spent hours in the garden before they had both gone off to their husbands' estates. Even after they were gone, Schneizel had never had time for the gardens. It was where the young ladies went in an attempt to get the attention of the other young men, and Schneizel had no time for them. Besides, his mother's place had always been the library, so Schneizel had gotten used to finding his peace there.

Unfortunately the boy was still in the library, still going over the treaty. Schneizel had peeked in earlier, intending to be as quiet as he could. Apparently it had not been enough because the boy had looked up. They had both glared at each other, Schneizel taking note of the boy's black eye before deciding to retreat. A second confrontation would be noticed more quickly than the first one had. Then he would be called before his father and made to regret actions that he already rued.

If he couldn't keep control of himself, then how could he expect to keep himself cool and distant from many of the others at court? How could he protect himself from their scheming and double crossing when he suddenly proved to be not as untouchable or incorruptible as they all thought? If he didn't keep his distance from them, they would all come to him with their entreaties and Schneizel had no patience for them. He just wanted to be left alone.

He scuffed his boot in the dirt, trying to come up with a solution.

They were far enough away from the border or from any places where the tribes were known to congregate that he could ride out on his own. His father would not care and he would only get a lecture from the current queen and Carine's mother, Lady Lucienne, and she would grow frustrated with his lack of reaction to her soon enough. Then he would be left on his own for the rest of the day, something that he sorely needed. Maybe there would even be a chance to sneak into the library after the hall had settled.

He turned around, intending to find his way out of the garden and to the stables where he could retrieve Damocles, when someone blocked his way.

Schneizel took a step back, looking the young woman up and down. He didn't recognize her, which meant that she wasn't one of the usual group of ladies that were following the royal progress around Britannia. They had all already approached him in the hopes that he would take an interest in one of them. Nor was she someone that he remembered from the round of introductions that he had stood through when they had first arrived at Keldton Hall. Even then, she looked just vaguely familiar enough to bother him.

He didn't let his annoyance show on his face, carefully schooling his expression to a cold mask of disinterest. "My lady."

"Don't _my lady_ me." Schneizel took an involuntary step back at the tone of her voice, his careful mask slipping into a frown. He opened his mouth to correct her, but the girl was on the warpath. She took another step forward, pointing at him. "You don't get to act all high and mighty after what you did."

"And what did I do?"

She reached behind her and pulled someone out into the open. Schneizel stared at the boy that he had met in the library, the same one he had thought was still in the library.

The boy glanced up at him before tugging on the girl's arm. "Eryn don't."

If was a relief to have the girl turn away from him and direct her anger at the boy. "Why shouldn't I? You're not going to defend yourself Kanon. You'll take your beating and just keep quiet. Our family's honor is on the line."

"He's the prince."

"I don't care if he's the emperor himself, he's going to apologize for attacking you. And don't try to stop me from doing it. Besides," she turned and smirked at Schneizel, "he can't hit me. I'm a _lady_."

Schneizel just stared at the two of them, unsure how to proceed. The boy was finally showing the proper deference to him, but Schneizel was past the slight on his rank. He was more appalled by his lack of self control than the boy's insults to his person or the attempted assault. Now he was being confronted by a girl, demanding an apology with no care about his rank. But she was right; he wasn't going to attack her. It would cause too many problems.

At a loss of what to do, Schneizel opted for his usual defense. He stared at the two of them, his comfortable façade of disinterest falling back over his face. "I'll apologize for the marks I left on him, it was unsportsmanlike. But I will not apologize for the beating. If it had been any other member of my family, his punishment would be worse."

The boy nodded along, tugging at the girl's sleeve. "See Eryn? I told you that I had stepped over the line. Satisfied? Now, I have to go back to-"

"No." She tugged him forward again. "I want him to realize that what he did to you was a gross overreaction."

"It was my fault!"

"Kanon you-"

"Excuse me." Schneizel stepped forward, not quite willing to get between the two. The girl looked ready to come to blows, which was a strange thing. Most ladies that he met would prefer to solve their problems through talking and, alternatively, shouting at each other until a decision was reached. Eryn seemed ready to practice violence upon his person; a thought that amused him more than frightened him. "I think that it's best if we left and avoided each other until we have calmer heads."

"Ever the diplomat." Eryn sneered at him, pushing Kanon away from her before storming off. She paused just within hearing range of the both of them, turning around. "The two of you deserve each other!"

Then she was gone, leaving the two of them stunned in the garden.

Kanon was the first to recover. The boy cleared his throat and stared down at the ground. "I'm sorry about my sister. She has ideas about how things should be done, and they're rarely how things really are."

"She is a fearless woman, I'll give her that." Schneizel sighed, glancing back at Kanon. The boy didn't meet his gaze, so Schneizel took it as a sign that all was well between them. He didn't want to remain too long in Kanon's company anyway, they were both busy. Perhaps that would keep them away from each other, and Eryn, for the duration of his stay at Keldton Hall.

Schneizel turned and walked away without a word, listening to the sound of Kanon scurrying away too. The boy was probably heading back to the library, which meant that Schneizel would have to find another place of solitude. But that wouldn't be too hard, especially now that he had an excuse to avoid the hall entirely. He was sure that his father would just laugh if he said that he wanted to avoid Lady Eryn. His father would probably think that Schneizel had insulted her in some manner, but he would be sent off to ride until Emperor Vincent decided that it was time for Eryn to apologize. Then again, Schneizel didn't want to be around for that eventuality.

He shivered and turned toward the stables, looking forward to a good long ride.

* * *

Schneizel managed to avoid the library, Kanon and Eryn for three days, a masterful feat by his own reckoning. It had taken careful planning and an extensive knowledge of Keldton Hall, one that Schneizel was keenly aware would be useless as soon as they were gone. He had only glimpsed the two at dinner and at the official signing of the treaty with Meshech. Both times, Kanon had avoided his gaze while Eryn had glared right back at him. Schneizel had simply pretended not to notice either of them.

He could have continued with his plans, which included riding Damocles out into the countryside around Keldton Hall as far as they could go in a day, if the horse hadn't thrown a shoe and come up lame. Schneizel had only managed to get a mile away from Keldton Hall before Damocles had stumbled. Then he had walked the mile back with the limping horse to pass him off to the hall's farrier. With Damocles confined to the stables for the day, Schneizel was stuck finding another way to try and avoid Eryn and Kanon, and he didn't have many options.

His father would want him to socialize, to be seen walking with some of the ladies that had followed them on progress, just to see him interested in something other than his studies. The emperor was anxious to see Schneizel beginning some kind of courtship to avoid rumors springing up around him. Odysseus was already considered weak by much of Britannia, and it was a testament to how much the emperor believed it to be true if he didn't defend his own son. With his newest child a girl, all of Emperor Vincent's hopes rested on Schneizel, which would have been a relief for him if he and his father didn't have completely opposite views about how to run the country.

Lost in his tangle of thoughts and his mental map of Keldton Hall, Schneizel didn't notice the way he was going until he stopped in front of the door to the library.

He yanked his hand back from the door, taking a step back when it swung open anyway. Schneizel peeked in, wincing when he realized that Kanon was in the library and that the boy had seen him. There was no chance for him to pretend that he had stumbled across the wrong room, because he didn't think that Kanon would accept that excuse. The boy probably thought that Schneizel had come to antagonize him again, which would just lead to Eryn coming to shout at him again.

Schneizel reached up to rub his eyes, about to make his excuses and leave when Kanon got up from the table. "I'm done in here if you need to use the library."

"I don't _need_ to use it."

He was surprised when a smile crossed the boy's face. "You can hide in here if you want. I don't mind. There's plenty of room and I can tuck myself in one of the corners. We won't even have to look at each other."

Schneizel didn't try to resist the temptation. He stepped into the room, eyeing the shelves. From the faint scrape of a chair from behind him, he could tell that Kanon was ready to make himself scarce. The gesture eased his annoyance some. At least the boy could be civil, if only after being taught a lesson.

He reached for one of the scrolls that had attracted his attention, freezing when Kanon cleared his throat. Schneizel looked over his shoulder, glaring at the boy. He just wanted to be able to read and then go on his way when the time for dinner came. Kanon had even said that they could avoid each other. What was the point to him staying if Kanon was going to interrupt him? Schneizel took a deep breath, forcing himself to keep his voice even. "Is there something wrong?"

"Not unless you want to read an inaccurate account of the first battles in Britannia. It's from one of Caesar's lieutenants, horribly biased and horribly translated."

"So?"

"If you want to read about the same series of events, you want this one." Kanon reached around him to pull out another scroll two rows down. He glanced up at Schneizel, hesitating before pulling out another scroll, five columns over. "But if you want to read about the battles from the same point of view, I suggest this one."

"Why?"

"It's a translation from the original source over a translation of a translation. Also, the author doesn't feel the need to insert his opinion every paragraph or so." Kanon shrugged. "It's the one that my father and I use."

Schneizel stared at him, impressed by the knowledge that Kanon could just rattle off. It was the Maldini library, but his familiarity not only with the documents but also with their usefulness was interesting. Schneizel only had a passing familiarity with the library in Pendragon, concentrated on certain sections. But, then again, the Pendragon library was far larger than the one at Keldton Hall.

He took the scroll from Kanon, walking over to one of the tables. He was careful to avoid the one that Kanon had been sitting at when they had first met, not wanting to interfere in other projects that Kanon had ongoing. One confrontation between them was more than enough for him.

Schneizel spread out the scroll, intending to read like he had been want to since he had arrived at Keldton. But he was distracted, Schneizel just staring at the words on the scroll without really reading them. He knew that he was reading the same line over and over again, all to keep his eyes on the scroll as he rolled the information around in his mind.

The boy was organized, efficient if the treaty that Schneizel had gotten to read snippets of was anything to go by. Kanon was well versed in his documents and one case of diplomacy, a very specific set of expertise. Better still, he was not afraid to correct people when they needed it. Schneizel had seen too many of his father's advisors too frightened of the emperor to actually give his father the advice he needed. Despite the fact that Kanon was almost too brutally blunt about his opinions, it was still refreshing.

There was a slight creak, Schneizel looking up. Kanon was about to leave the room, his hand already on the door. Schneizel frowned, lifting his hands from the scroll and letting it roll back up. "Wait."

The boy froze, remaining turned toward the door. Schneizel huffed and placed his hands on the edge of the table, carefully to keep his voice even. "You seem to know a lot about your work, far more than a boy your age should."

Kanon turned to face him, raising a shoulder in a shrug. "My father likes to deal with the tenants on the land around Keldton Hall personally. If they are in a day's ride, he'll be the one solving their problems. Anything that can't be solved by a local authority quickly, he steps in on. I've helped him since I could read."

"And you helped with the treaty." Kanon nodded slowly, Schneizel watching him carefully. "How much of that treaty is your work?"

"It's even. My father went out to talk to the Meshech diplomats himself, but he didn't want to risk my safety. I remained at the hall, looking into other treaties and where the official boundaries rested to make sure that we wouldn't be contradicting ourselves. He and the diplomats did most of the work."

"Not as I hear it." Schneizel looked the boy up and down, considering him.

There was no reason that Schneizel should be considering him. Kanon had been rude to him upon his arrival and attempted to assault him, but he was good. That a boy his own age would purposefully keep himself indoors to research and be trusted to do the task right was interesting. That kind of boy should have been sent to Pendragon or, better yet, to one of the other centers of great learning in Britannia, because they would need men like him when Emperor Vincent eventually died and Odysseus took the throne. His half brother would need all of the help he could get.

After Odysseus took the throne _Schneizel_ would need all the help he could get.

It was horrible of him, but he didn't want Odysseus to get such an efficient worker, because Schneizel was sure that he would be dealing with the bulk of the work of the empire. He needed a staff to help with that. Odysseus would have to deal with the second best; Schneizel would be able to run the empire from behind the scenes. It was a fact that he had accepted since his father had officially declared Odysseus his heir. His mother had even turned to him during the ceremony and told him to look after his half brother. Schneizel had understood that meant standing by his half brother out of sight, just as he always had.

Schneizel rolled the scroll up and set it to one side. He was aware that Kanon was paying close attention to every move that he made. Carefully, Schneizel rested his arms on the table, trying to imitate the look that his mother had given to the court on the rare occasions she had been invited to sit with the emperor. "I have a proposition, if you will listen."

"Why wouldn't I? You're the prince."

"Because you tried to kill me on the day we met." He smiled as he saw Kanon flinch. "And, considering your sister, I don't think that any offers or orders will sway you."

"I…I was ordered to keep the treaty a secret."

"Even from your prince?" As expected, Kanon didn't respond. Schneizel drummed his fingers against the table, deciding not to wait for the answer. It didn't matter anymore. He would need that kind of discretion in the future. He waved his hand to dismiss the question. "If you will listen then. I'm interested in you."

"Me?"

"Your skills." Schneizel quickly corrected himself, resisting the urge to let his gaze sweep up and down Kanon's body. "The empire needs people like you in Pendragon to keep it running."

"The emperor does that."

"The emperor needs help, which is what we do." Schneizel sighed and dropped his gaze. "It's what I'm trying to do. I want to avoid any other messy confrontations, and you seem to be one of the better choices for the job."

"There must be others."

"No one that I've found. No one seems to be interested in peace especially since wars win them position and power. Wars breed noble status." Schneizel was surprised to see Kanon nodding along. He hid his smile, not wanting to give himself away to Kanon too early. "You are one of the few that don't seem to care."

Kanon shrugged, walking back across the room. "The Maldinis were rich before and we've come up from nothing once. I'm sure it can happen again. Besides, we're far enough from the borders that we'll be fine even if something goes wrong. We're just like our hound, we won't stop chasing something if we really want it."

"I thought your sigil meant loyalty."

"That too."

Schneizel chuckled to himself, leaning back in his chair. The movement seemed to encourage Kanon forward. The boy pulled out a chair and sat down. Schneizel invited the idea with a nod, not sure how long their tentative truce would last. He would push as far as he could in any case, just to see how far Kanon would go. "So, will you accept my proposal?"

Kanon glanced around the library, like he was sure that other people would be watching. He licked his lips, Schneizel following the move carefully. He quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts, paying close attention to Kanon as the boy spoke. "_If_ I say yes, what will I have to do?"

"Come to Pendragon, learn the ways of the court." Schneizel sighed and shook his head. "You'd stay close to me and, because Father lets me do as I please, we'll try to keep Britannia from charging into another war. You'll be a part of my staff. Of course your family won't suffer from our association."

"Of course." Kanon rolled his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He remained staring at the wooden boards for a while, not even looking down at Schneizel as he spoke again. "But it's an interesting offer, and I guess you'll give me until you leave to come up with an answer." Kanon looked back down, not giving Schneizel the chance to speak before plunging on. "I won't need that time. I'll do it, but you'll have to help me with something as well."

Schneizel raised an eyebrow. "You're trying to force me to make a deal with you?"

"No. We're entering negotiations." Kanon smiled. "That's what you want me for, right? Negotiations."

Schneizel chuckled and leaned forward. Kanon's bluntness was a bit abrasive, but more because he was unused to someone speaking frankly with him than anything else. It was strangely exciting and refreshing, something that he could sorely use in Pendragon where he was just fawned over. He was intrigued.

"What's the deal?"

* * *

Out of everything that Kanon had ever heard about Pendragon, none of it had turned out to be true.

From the parties that his mother had hosted, the visits from nobles returning to their country homes and the rounds that the archbishop made through the country, he had heard nothing but good about the city. They had been told about its strong walls and bustling markets, how one could find anything there. How one never wanted for entertainment between plays and the delights the brothels could offer, even if the church frowned upon such debauchery.

Then there were the things that had caught Eryn's attention, the jousts in the fields beyond the city and the school that had been set up to train the officers and future knights of Britannia. Kanon had paid attention to that, but more because he was expected to. He could fight well enough, but what interested him the most were the descriptions of the castle for the mentions of things that no noble talked about. No one seemed to care about the inner workings of the empire except for him and Prince Schneizel.

For all the descriptions of the city, no one had told him how it would stink.

When he and Eyrn had first ridden into the city – months after the treaty had been signed and finished – Kanon had kept his sleeve against his nose as he rode through the lower half of the city. From the other nobles that they passed, it was the common thing to do, try to block out the smell and ignore the people who made their homes along the outer wall of Pendragon. Even after they had cleared the poorest neighborhoods, Kanon was sure that he would never be able to get the smell off of him

The other thing that they hadn't been told was how the imperial castle loomed.

The sight of the imperial castle alone intimidated Kanon more than the poor people of Pendragon did with their resentful glares. There was a threat implied with the people, but the castle held a threat that could be carried out. From the stories that he had been told, to even get to the castle they would have to pass through the training school first, a barrier between the royal family and the masses of Pendragon, put there for a very good reason as far as Kanon could see.

But the mere fact of the necessity of its existence was almost enough to make Kanon take his sister and turn around. He had known that Pendragon would be dangerous, but not to the extent that he was being presented. The only things that had kept him from turning tail and heading back to Keldton Hall was the look on his sister's face as she drunk in the guards marching around on the drill grounds and the figure at the gate ahead of them.

Prince Schneizel stood waiting for them, without a guard and on the ground. It was an odd welcome for a lesser earl from a small corner of Britannia, but it had been enough to settle Kanon. Schneizel was serious about the offer he had made and the deal that had been proposed. That had been enough for him to tap his heels against Belenos' sides to urge the horse faster, ready to see what Schneizel had planned for them.

* * *

"Now, once the kirtle is on, then you can decide on a belt or not. Unless you want to accentuate your lack of figure, I wouldn't. The style in the court is to wear the kirtle loose. It must be a ploy to try and appease the church. Everyone must be tired of all the sermons that the archbishop gives on the need to cease all lewd behavior he believes women get up to." Eryn paused, holding up two belts before tossing them back on the bed. "As I said, better not."

"I know the court fashions, Eryn." Kanon gritted his teeth, trying not to show his frustration. Just because Eryn had been the one accompanying Schneizel around didn't mean she knew everything about Pendragon.

Since arriving, Kanon had spent most of his time familiarizing himself with Schneizel's system and the people that worked under the prince. He thought he knew how best to use them, but only time would tell. That was far more important than being in court to be flattered by ladies who weren't interested or by young daughters who were far too interested. It would be hard to push them away from him, especially with his family on the rise.

Thankfully, Schneizel had kept him inside the rooms that the prince had claimed as his offices, away from all prying eyes. It was a signal that Kanon Maldini had been fully claimed by his role as personal aide to the prince. Hopefully it would keep the young women seeking a marriage far away from him. He doubted that any of them would want to marry a man who was so devoted to his work and his prince that he couldn't even attend court events. Kanon also hoped that the story would be enough to keep others away.

He looked up at his sister, long since over his surprise of seeing her in men's clothing. The only surprise left was to see her in the uniform of the Britannian royal guards.

When they had been younger, Eryn had always been begging him to trade clothes so she could get out of the activities that she loathed and Kanon had gone along with her needling, even if he had known that they were going to get caught. But he had gotten used to seeing her in his wardrobe of drabber colors, all greys, blues and even the red and silver of their house. To see her in purple and gold was odd, but strangely fitting.

Kanon eyed the sigil that was sewn in place above her heart, the crowned lion and snake of the royal family entwined around each other. After so many years seeing nothing but their own sigil, a silver greyhound on a red field, it was strangely exciting to have something new.

"Kanon!" He jumped as Eryn shouted at him. Kanon looked up at his sister as she shook the surcoat at him. "I have to report down with the rest of the men in five minutes, I don't have time for you to get lost in your work."

"Eryn-"

"I can take over from here." They both turned at the familiar voice, Kanon staring at Schneizel as the prince entered the room. He had expected Schneizel to knock, although the formality probably wasn't needed. They were staying on his sufferance after all; Schneizel could do what he wished with them.

Schneizel calmly stepped up to Eryn's side and took the surcoat from her, draping it over his arm. "It wouldn't do for my personal recommendation to the school to be late and certainly not good for the newly arrived lord."

Eryn went to curtsy, remembering herself at the last minute and bowing instead. For good measure, she dropped into the formal bow to the prince, kneeling on the floor with one hand over her heart. "Yes, my lord."

The prince gestured for her to rise. "And I expect you back when you are done. You will have duties to me as well. The duties of a knight are not learned among the guards."

Eryn gaped at the prince for a moment before scampering off, Kanon a bit embarrassed by his sister's behavior. He looked at the ground until the door slammed shut behind her, leaving him along with Schneizel.

He cleared his throat, not daring to look up from the floor. "Our deal does not hold you to making her a knight, only to getting her the weapons training that she wanted. If there's another candidate-"

"There isn't." He looked up abruptly at Schneizel, staring at the prince as he smoothed the fabric of the surcoat. "I have been avoiding the choice for a while because everyone here is completely loyal to my father or their own families. I want someone whose loyalty is to me first. Eyrn owes me that and I am more than happy to knight her if she proves herself worthy of the title. I don't want to have to burden you with more tasks."

"It's fine."

"You are already acting as my personal aide and will be expected to stay at my side for all important matters of state. You will be covering for your sister while she trains with the rest of the applicants for knighthood and for long after when she actually becomes my knight. I don't need you trying to be in three places at once." Schneizel glanced over at him, Kanon surprised to see a corner of the prince's mouth twitch up. "Between the three of us, we can make this deal work out. We all are getting what we wanted, aren't we?"

Kanon wiped his palms on his kirtle nervously, but nodded all the same. Eyrn had wanted a chance to learn to fight, to become something other than a girl to be traded away when she had grown to a marriageable age. Schneizel had wanted an assistant that could keep up with him, be trusted to work on his own and someone to keep the attention of the young women of the court away from him. And Kanon had wanted a job doing what he enjoyed. Everyone was getting what they wanted, and there was no reason to protest and every reason to plan ahead so they wouldn't be caught out.

He raised his head, glancing out the window to gauge the position of the sun on the wall. He smiled and pushed his hair back from his face. "If that's the case, then we should hurry. Everyone will be expecting the prince to join in the fun of her majesty's garden party."

He went to reach for the surcoat, surprise when Schneizel stepped out of reach. The prince held the surcoat open, an obvious invitation to him.

When Kanon hesitated, Schneizel just shook the surcoat. "I do have a little sister and plenty of female cousins. I know how one of these goes on."

"That's not the point." Kanon swallowed and backed into the open coat, quickly snatching the end so Schneizel wouldn't have to pull it on for him. He stepped away as soon as it was on his arms, pulling it into place. "You're a prince, so you shouldn't have to."

"Ah." That got a true smile out of Schneizel; one that Kanon wasn't quite sure how to deal with. He remained standing in place, jumping a little when Schneizel took his hand and settled it in the proper place. "But you're my lady and my job is to pay special attention to you."

Kanon bit his lip, not wanting to argue with Schneizel on that point. They both knew that it was a farce on both of their parts, even if it was an agreement that they had both come into willingly. Kanon had no problem wearing his sister's clothes and pretending to be Eryn, or the version of his sister that she had shown at court. He had no problem becoming the prince's hard working aide that was rarely seen around court, because it meant he wouldn't be bothered either.

It was the way that Schneizel doted on him that he had a problem with. For the sake of their act, he would have to put up with the way that the prince treated him, but he would have to be careful.

There was no denying the fact that Prince Schneizel was good looking and far more charismatic than his older brother. But Kanon couldn't allow himself to fall into anything he would regret. He was in Pendragon to work for the prince, to continue doing what he enjoyed. His family would gain recognition for it and that was even better. But he couldn't allow himself to be lulled into some fantasy that Schneizel actually cared about him, not when it would be a distraction. The best he could do would be to bow his head and meet the parameters that were expected of him and nothing more.

His fingered clutched Schneizel's arm for a moment before Kanon forced himself to relax. He ignored the look that Schneizel sent his way, too busy remembering how his sister held herself. That was the thing that he had to apply himself to, looking and playing his part. He could enjoy it, as Kanon doubted that he would ever get as much of Schneizel's attention any other time, but he could never forget that he was just playing a part.

* * *

Schneizel looked out into the party from his place close to the wall. He drummed his fingers against the side of his leg, but made sure to smile when his cousin Maribelle was swept by. It was her wedding after all, one of the last bits of the treaty between Meshech and Britannia to be settled. Of course, it had come late, the prince of the new Meshech royal family just recently coming of age.

Schneizel himself had overseen the match, glad that he had done so. If his father had gotten his way, it would have been Euphemia married to Prince Pavel. Schneizel flinched at the thought, lifting his head slightly to try and spot Euphemia in the crowd.

She wouldn't have been happy in Meshech, not like Maribelle. The country still had plenty of enemies from the surrounding small royal states. Maribelle would delight in being able to work with the military, like Schneizel had been allowing her to do under Cornelia's tutelage. Euphemia would have been miserable trying to stop the fighting. It was far better to wait and find a place for her where she could really shine and one where she would have all the freedom that she was used to. He wouldn't waste her talents like his father had wasted Guinevere's. His oldest sister was married to some old noble in the farthest city in Britannia, stuck there until her husband died. Even when that happened, Schneizel was sure that Emperor Vincent would make sure to send Guinevere back down south to keep her out of court.

He shook his head and shifted his weight. When his father died, he would have to watch out for Guinevere. Everything that the emperor had done to her was more than enough to turn her into an enemy. Odysseus would try to appease her, but it wouldn't be enough. Schneizel could just imagine his older brother trying to keep her from starting another war. Odysseus would give her the throne if that was what she wanted, for the price of his head and Schneizel's own. Schneizel was too fond of his life to let it go so easily.

He was contemplating the best route through the dancers to the next room, where there was still food from the feast to be picked over, when he felt someone slide into place beside him. Unthinking, he turned his head, expecting to be addressing Eryn or Kanon. He froze when he saw that Euphemia was standing by his side, his cousin still breathless from the last dance that she had participated in. Schneizel carefully smoothed his surprise away, exchanging it for a genuine smile. "Euphemia."

"Cousin." She grinned at him before hugging him.

Schneizel stood under her affection, managing to free one arm to rest his hand on the top of her head. With her hair in some complicated knot, he didn't want to risk ruffling her hair as he had done when they were children. He could only imagine how many hours Euphemia had sat still for the style to be accomplished.

She pulled away from him quickly, her smile still in place. "I thought you would be out there, pulling more favors and promises from the nobles and the ambassadors."

"I have already done all I can with the ones here. And I wouldn't want to do anything that would cause Maribelle to hate me." He chuckled . "Besides, I thought you would be dancing with the prince of Saksamaa. He only comes to all of these to spend time with you."

"Oh, I've danced enough for him. He was begging for mercy after the last one." Euphemia tipped her head toward the next room. "He's probably taking a well deserved break before he come back to try and keep up with me again."

"Don't chase him away now."

"I won't, but I have to find some time to talk with my family without him close on my heels." She lowered her voice. "There are some things that he doesn't need to know about."

Schneizel raised an eyebrow. Euphemia was well liked by everyone in Pendragon, even the commoners. She could get correct information almost as easily as he could, and without the effort that he needed to use to find the truth. He would miss the little tidbits of information that she gathered when she returned home with her family at the end of the week. Euphemia was a refreshing breath of air from the rest of the court, even when she had nothing to tell him. He leaned closer to her, wanting to give her all the privacy she deemed necessary.

To his surprise, she didn't bother to lower her voice again, her attention back on the party. "Where's the countess?"

"Which one?"

Euphemia slapped his arm, shaking her head. "Don't play ignorant Schneizel."

"I can assure you that I have no idea who you are talking about. There must be at least four countesses in this room alone."

"_Your_ countess."

Schneizel stared at his cousin, hanging onto his composure. "I don't know what you mean."

His cousin rolled her eyes, but the smile never left her face. "Countess Maldini. She is always the one to accompany you to these affairs or when you travel. I think this is the first time I have seen you at a party without her. The two of you are nearly inseparable, save for when you are with her brother. Many of the young ladies I've talked to despair of ever marrying you since someone has obviously caught your eye. Since Uncle doesn't seem to care about who you chose, it seems likely that you will ask the countess to marry you."

Schneizel's throat went dry. He was sure that Euphemia expected an answer back, just as the smug look on her face meant that she expected him to admit that she was right. And there was no reason to get mad at her because she had managed to figure out what he had wanted the rest of the court to notice. He wanted to be left alone. He would go to all the formal events as he had to, but he would go with someone of his choosing. Kanon's presence had meant that he hadn't been bothered or dragged into conversations that he had no interest in. Having a steady fixture with him had also granted him more access among the married couples, as they had made the assumption that he and Kanon were courting. The information that he had gotten from them was equally as valuable as the tidbits that he picked up from the members of the court who were his own age.

But their notice didn't mean anything; it just meant that his plan was working. In fact, it had worked so well thus far that Schneizel had given Kanon permission to take the day off to catch up on the work that needed to be done. With a week of events leading up to the wedding, Kanon had spent very little time as himself and had almost no time to continue his job as Schneizel's aide. Schneizel had been even less willing to pull Eryn out of her training, not between getting ready for and assisting with the joust that had happened the day before. He hadn't needed Kanon on his arm anyway, most of the court believed that he was spoken for and avoided him.

Just because Schneizel keenly felt Kanon's absence didn't mean anything. It just meant that he had gotten used to having a conversation partner close at hand. And it was something that he would adjust to.

Euphemia looked like she was going to speak, probably trying to convince him of what she saw, when there was a mutter from the crowd. Schneizel turned, freezing when he saw who was making their way through the crowd.

Kanon paused part of the way over, exchanging some pleasantries with a group of young women before continuing toward him. Schneizel tried his best not to stare, but it was strange to see Kanon out of the combinations of soft greys and reds that he usually wore when he was pretending to be Eryn. It was a way to tie him firmly to the Maldini house and, though he spent most of his time with Schneizel, didn't visually profess any change in loyalty. Now, in white, gold and lavender, he was wearing something closer to the royal colors, Schneizel's colors.

He barely felt Euphemia nudging him forward, already in the act of taking Kanon's hand when he was offered it. "Countess."

"Schneizel." The careless dropping of his title made him shiver, Schneizel trying to ignore the feeling. It was the way that Kanon said his name every day, never mind that there was always a thrill to it.

He licked his lips, intending to strike up some sort of conversation, maybe something to draw out why Kanon had decided to come despite assurances that he could stay away. Instead, Schneizel leaned forward, his other hand dropping to rest on Kanon's hip without his permission. He saw Kanon glance down at it, probably to demand to know what Schneizel was doing. But he wasn't sure he would have an answer for Kanon, not when the thoughts in his own head didn't make sense.

Kanon had belonged to him in the technical sense for nearly a year now, working under him as a member of his staff. He had seen Kanon in his colors every day since the Maldini's had come to the castle and it had never affected him like this. But, this was something else; this was Kanon's choice, not a demand made upon him by his work. Just like Kanon had chosen to ignore the offer of a day to catch up on work to come be with him.

For the first time in many months, Schneizel acted rashly, leaning down to press his lips to Kanon's in a kiss.

It was light and brief, Schneizel very much aware that he was in public. But he hadn't been able to help himself, not with Kanon.

He pulled away, not sure what to make of the blank look on Kanon's face. It was entirely possible that he had misread the situation, something that he would have to beg forgiveness for later. Schneizel cleared his throat and looked away, suddenly realizing that Euphemia had slipped away from him. His cousin had probably left them alone out of some misguided attempt to give them privacy. He took a deep breath and glanced at Kanon. "Forgive me, that was out of line."

"Of course." He saw Kanon's hand reach up before Kanon dropped it back to his side. His aide kept his voice low as he spoke, the two of them standing close so it looked like a private conversation between the prince and the woman he had courting. "It was just an act, right?"

There was a desperate twist on the last word, leaving him room to back gracefully out of the situation if he wanted to. And it would be easier to.

He was a prince, and one that didn't need to be tied to a lesser noble house. There was bound to be a war that his father started that he would need to end with his marriage. It was something that he had been prepared for all of his life. Even if he was spared his father's idiocy, Odysseus would inherit the throne and Schneizel would remain as the power behind the throne, the closest he would ever get to being emperor.

Then again, if that was the case, then he wouldn't want to have a powerful wife or a family who pushed for him to gather more power to himself. It would be better to have someone from a lesser noble family, then he wouldn't be in danger of getting killed. And, if that was to be the case, he wanted Kanon, someone that he knew could keep up with him.

Schneizel swallowed trying to get his throat wet enough to speak with. "It doesn't have to be."

Kanon rocked back onto his heels for a moment, his eyes wide. For a moment, it looked like he would run, Schneizel getting a better grip on his arm. "Kanon."

The sound of his name seemed to calm him, Kanon staring up at him. Even then, Schneizel could see that Kanon was still tense, like he would take any chance to run that he could. Schneizel didn't want to let Kanon go until he was sure that his aide wouldn't run off. He didn't need the talk that would follow if Kanon was seen fleeing and Schneizel followed, because he would follow. This was not something that Schneizel would leave to just hang between them.

Kanon swayed back towards him, almost leaning into him. Schneizel tried to draw him closer, but Kanon wouldn't allow himself to be pulled. Instead, he stared right up at Schneizel, almost looking angry. "It was supposed to be an act and nothing else."

"Why can't it be?"

For a moment, it looked like Kanon was going to point out the obvious, but his aide snapped his mouth shut. After a deep breath, Kanon started again. "This can't be on a whim Schneizel. Everything else can, but not _this._"

"You know me well enough that I don't do anything on a whim. Kanon, you are invaluable to me."

That didn't seem to make the skeptical look on Kanon's face disappear, but it softened it a fraction. Kanon glanced over his shoulder at the rest of the crowd. Schneizel let him have his moment, keeping his own hands close to his sides. After spending so long looking at Kanon and telling himself no, the idea that he could let some of that control go was tantalizing.

Kanon turned back far too quickly, long before Schneizel managed to school his face into his usual calm. He let the expression stay on his face, letting Kanon read what he wanted to there.

Apparently it was good enough, because Kanon relaxed, Schneizel watching as Kanon's shoulders fell a little bit. The nod that followed was almost too small for Schneizel to see. It was enough of a give that he felt justified in taking Kanon's hand.

His first instinct was to lead Kanon to his rooms where they could talk, never mind the scandal of them being seen together. If everything worked out the way that Schneizel hoped, Kanon would soon have unlimited access to his rooms, no matter what the guise. But leaving the celebration so early would not only cause a scandal far sooner than he needed one, but it would also slight Maribelle on her wedding day, something that Schneizel couldn't do.

Instead, he tipped his head to the dance floor, the one place they could continue to talk without too much attention on them. "Do you want to begin negotiations?"

Kanon followed his gaze, Schneizel watching as his aide hesitated. Though it cost him, he kept his grip loose on Kanon's hand. If Kanon wanted to run, he was not going to prevent him. Trying to force the issue would get him nowhere.

After a moment, Kanon stepped up beside him, letting go of Schneizel's hand. Schneizel had a split second of panic before Kanon settled them into the proper position of a lord to his lady, setting his hand on Schneizel's arm. Automatically, Schneizel covered Kanon's hand with his own, looking down at his aide.

Kanon flashed him a smile and tugged gently in the direction of the dancers. "Let's."

* * *

_Cousin Schneizel,_

_I know you are busy with the diplomacy mission to the southern tribes but I find myself in need of your advice. Please, take your time in returning with your answer as we both have things that call our attention._

_I want to know how to best approach my closest neighbors here, namely Nippon and Circassia, to expand trade between us. This approach his not meant to look like a grab for power as my father's incursions into Nippon were. I merely want to bring life back into the villages closer to the mountains, and providing new customers through travelling merchants would do that nicely. Perhaps you could even plead my case to your father so he understands my intentions completely. I would not want to go against the emperor in this._

_Your cousin,_

_Nunnally_

* * *

Kanon worked his way through the mail that the messengers had brought, sorting them into neat piles on the desk. Most of them were directed to Schneizel, and those went to his right. Mail for his sister and himself were placed off to his left to be taken away when he was finished for the day. Most of the letters were for Eryn and were various congratulations on her official engagement to Prince Schneizel el Britannia. Kanon smiled as he skimmed through another one, tossing it to the side. All of them seemed to be begging for a place at the wedding, a smart move since space would be at a premium. It would be, after all, the wedding of the second prince of Britannia, and that was something to look forward to.

He pushed his pile further to the side when he ran out of letters, looking through Schneizel's stack. The prince was busy with the negotiations and would be for the remainder of the day. Kanon hoped that there would be something to show for all of the effort or Schneizel would be in a foul mood coming back from the agreed meeting place.

Thus far, the leaders of the tribes had managed to stall, apparently waiting for the demon of the north to come and help them. Kanon hoped that Schneizel had finally been able to make it clear that the demon of the north wouldn't be coming. Aside from Nunnally's letter, there had been no news from the north in months, save that from Zhongguo from their diplomat. Kanon paused to jot down the reminder to send a congratulatory letter to the Empress Tianzi and her new husband, Li Xingke. It would be good to keep up with their allies, especially those that were on either side of Nippon. After what Charles had done, it was better to be prepared for Nippon to strike back than to just wait for something bad to happen.

As it stood, the emperor was far too caught up in interior matters, which had ceased to shock Kanon. The last time he had been surprised by Emperor Vincent was when he and Eryn had gone to Pendragon back when he had been fifteen. Thirteen years had passed, thirteen years of hard work to keep up Britannia's relationships with other countries. Schneizel had not been mistaken when he had said that there needed to be someone to watch out for the other countries.

By Kanon's count, he and Schneizel had managed to prevent at least five wars. All of them would have come from the way that Emperor Vincent preferred to ignore the presence of other countries in favor of trying to chase out all magicians. Even the emperor's inward gaze had not saved them. Saksamaa had been ready to go to war with them over the influx of magicians that were fleeing east from Britannia, but Schneizel had managed to smooth that over. Whether the deal would need to be sealed with marriage was yet to be seen and they were expecting the reply any day now. It was a good thing that Schneizel had asked him to call down Euphemia to talk over the idea of marriage as soon as she was about to get out of the snows of the north, otherwise they would have been left with Carine who was too young and would lead them into a war anyway.

Kanon dreaded the day that Schneizel younger half-sister married, it would mean an increase in his work.

Until then, they only had the current situation and the war with Sviariki, although Schneizel had nudged Cornelia to take care of that territorial dispute. With Cornelia protecting their westernmost boarder, Schneizel was free to take care of the southern tribes. Although that didn't stop the Sviariki diplomats from trying to contact him and demand that he come and straighten out the situation. Kanon would vent his ire at them as soon as his tasks were done, it would feel good to be able to chastise them for bothering the prince.

The rest of the mail was just personal notes from nobles that were asking Schneizel to come to some party or another that they were having. What amused Kanon the most was that most of them were from the nobles that had decided to become Schneizel entourage and follow him down south. Some of them were relying on the hospitality of cousins or family members, but most had made a holiday out of the affair, pretending that they were in the days of the great King Eowyn, despite that fact that they were pulling from stories that didn't take place during King Eowyn's time. Kanon held his tongue when they passed through their tents, but it was enough to know that Schneizel was just as annoyed.

The nobles were making it increasingly hard for Schneizel to work, demanding to go with him to the talks and then shouting insults at the tribes. Schneizel's patience had finally snapped, and he was using his own personal guard to keep the nobles out. Kanon was sure that he would be entertaining annoyed noblemen within the next few days when they realized their prince was serious. If his sister wasn't already busy, he would have asked for her to sit in with him. The nobles wouldn't be as harsh if the prince's fiancée was with him.

Kanon sorted the invitations into two piles, tipping one into the bucket by his side. Tonight, when he had the time, he would go out and distribute the slips of paper to the soldiers that were in the camp to use to light their fires. The rest he set off to one side. Those Schneizel would be interested in as they were the nobles that had stayed on their estates and the ones that they owed the favor or needed to garner favor from. Over the pile, Kanon placed Nunnally's letter.

Schneizel would find it intriguing enough that his youngest cousin was making an attempt at diplomacy, even if Kanon didn't know why she was attempting it. That would be something that he would have to look into, since he was the one who had the time for it. It would be a good time to reach out for Euphemia for information. Most of their informers had slipped away, much to Kanon's annoyance, caught up in the hangings that the emperor demanded. He could even push as far as to pull Nunnally into their ring. They needed to pay close attention to all of their neighbors, especially now that eyes were on them with the current negotiations.

That being the case, it would be best if Schneizel responded to Nunnally. The prince was the one with the silver tongue; Kanon was the one to observe from the background.

Kanon stood up and stretched, glancing around the tent to be sure that all his tasks were complete. Until Schneizel got back, he couldn't take down the prince's replies to letters, nor could he approve of the parties that Schneizel was invited him to. Kanon would take a walk around the camp to check over things as a break between sittings. He had his own letters to write, as Eryn wouldn't want to reply to any of her well wishers; she hated most of them anyway.

He strolled out of the tent, pausing to stare out at the tents that were arrayed around Schneizel's. A large portion of them were the guards that had been sent down with Schneizel. Kanon supposed that only half of them were needed, but the emperor had wanted them to be cautious while presenting a strong front. He had no doubt that the guards were there for when the emperor finally extracted himself from Pendragon. If he remembered correctly, Emperor Vincent had said something about a royal progress, which would most likely send him to where they were. Kanon could only imagine what Schneizel would say to his father's arrival. That might have been the reason that Schneizel was rushing the talks.

A few of the guards who had been left behind nodded at Kanon, used to him wandering around the camp. He was sure that, if there was a problem, they would approach him if Eryn could not be found. That was what he was there for as the prince's aide.

For now, there was nothing for him to do but make his rounds of the camp to make sure that everything was running smoothly. Kanon turned to look towards the second camp made further out, frowning at the movement he saw there. Perhaps he would take a few soldiers out there to remind the nobles to keep back from the agreed site. He was sure that they wouldn't listen to him, but it was better than letting them wander. Besides, he would have given them a warning, and Schneizel would be free to act if they ignored his warning. They had been trying to chase the nobles away or weeks, maybe this would be enough to send them running.

Kanon could only hope.

* * *

Schneizel let Damocles walk on a lose rein, the horse already eager to head back to their temporary home. The horse had been tied outside in the heat all day, but well cared for by the tribes. His guards were in no better shape either; they had spent the day driving off over curious nobles from the diplomatic talks. Schneizel wished the addition of his guards had led to a breakthrough in the negotiations, but they had carried on just the same as it had for the previous week. There was noting but stalling and refusal to cooperate. It would have been enough to even drive the easy going Odysseus to action. Even so, he had to be patient; everything was going according to his plan.

From the talks, he was getting information about the leaders of the tribes, about what they wanted. They weren't a unified front, although they were trying to be one. Schneizel was sure that some of the tribes were just as tired of the talks as he was, he could see their leaders shifting in the back. And he had judged the biases of the one single man who was talking, all he had to do was push at those points and wait until they broke. If he was lucky, he would be able to split the tribes and have half of them leave. Then, with half of their support base gone, the tribes would be more willing to speak to him.

If all else failed, and his father began to come down from Pendragon, Schneizel could always turn to the men he had brought with him to chase the tribes away. It would bring an end to peaceful negotiations, but at least it would be something. Chasing the tribes away would also help with his father's obsession of driving magicians away, it would keep them away. And it would open up more negotiating territory for their war with the Sviariki. All he had to do was to keep the magicians from leaving through Saksamaa and all their diplomatic contacts would be pleased.

But it would be a failure as Schneizel counted it, and he couldn't stand a failure on this scale.

He tugged on the reins as Damocles tried to wander away to graze, Schneizel correcting the cremello with a small kick. Damocles wandered back on track, Schneizel looking up to see the two camps that had been established.

He stared at the second one with a grimace. He had hoped that staying in tents and living like a soldier would discourage the nobles from following them. Apparently it hadn't been enough. As amusing as it was to watch them struggle, it wasn't doing the negotiations any good. The nobles wanted a holiday and to celebrate with their prince, something that he couldn't do. If he was his father or Odysseus, he would have abandoned the talks without a second thought, but he wasn't. He was the one thing standing between Britannia and constant war. As it was, he had to pick and choose the battles that they were entering.

Schneizel didn't have the unlimited resources that everyone thought that he did. The Knights of the Round were officially under his father's command, and it would take special permission for Schneizel to bring them down. Of course, he could find ways around his father. An invitation to each individual family would have the Rounds down, but that would take more time.

The army was, once again, under his father's command and he couldn't just pull it out from under his father in the same way. He would have to rely on his own contacts and favors for that, which Schneizel didn't want to waste those on something he was sure that he could solve.

A snort from beside him made him look over, Schneizel nodding as Eryn rode up beside him. The knight gave an abbreviated bow, Schneizel looking away at the surrounding countryside. "Report."

"There were a few nobles that tried to get in, but we sent them away. I didn't bother to remember their names, but someone was sure to have. It was the usual group of troublemakers." Eryn sniffed. "But they didn't try to push through. They must have thought that it was a joke."

"Let them. I'll deal with them in my own time."

"Can't we send them off?"

"No." Eryn, while a good knight, was just that. She didn't have the mind for the complexities of diplomacy like her brother did, which made her perfect for her job. All she had to do was to watch for threats to his person and look threatening by his side, jobs that she carried out admirably, if not a bit impatiently at the presence of other people.

Schneizel sighed; glad to see that they were closer to their camp. It meant that he could have a moment to himself to contemplate his next move, even if that had to come after working through the old business that he had brought with him from Pendragon. Still, it would be good to take his mind away from his current frustration. For once, it would feel like he was getting something done.

He dismounted as soon as they reached the camp, handing off Damocles to one to one of the young guards to be taken care of. Behind him, and still mounted, he could hear Eryn giving orders. She would probably continue on long after he was gone, organizing the next group to go out with him tomorrow and the guards for the night. If the guards needed supplies, he trusted that Eryn would know and send out the appropriate groups. Schneizel's last check had been a few days ago and he had passed on the task to Eryn, who was just as competent.

Schneizel still hated the kind of delegation he had to do. He liked to have a hand in everything that was going around him. It was how he had always gotten information before anyone else. It was how he had survived in his early days in the court. Even the emperor didn't quite know how the empire ran, that was all Schneizel. After years of having that much power, Schneizel was loath to give it up. It meant becoming too much like the young man that he had been once, with everything that he was out of his control.

He brushed his hand over Damocles' neck as he walked up towards the center of the camp, where his tent was.

Most of the guards had gone running down to where Eryn was shouting her orders, so he was left undisturbed as he approached his tent. Even the nobles that had plagued him since the beginning weren't around, probably chased off by his refusal to admit them to the talks earlier. That just meant that he would be on his guard for when they flooded in. Schneizel had learned that nobles would not be put off for long.

Schneizel stepped into his tent, looking towards his desk and nodding. It was obvious that Kanon had been working; the usual piles were assembled on the desk as well as a wax tablet with a list already started. Schneizel wandered over to lean over the tablet, reading over Kanon's to do list; it would give him a preview of what he would have to work through. Most of the list was just reminders to send replies, which pertained to the congratulation letters that were coming in for his marriage.

He winced at how obvious he was being, he usually preferred to keep his secrets close. As a prince, there was so little that he could keep for his own that was not shared with the empire. But Schneizel preferred not to become a bargaining chip in his own game if his father finally decided to act. He was more than willing to let Odysseus and Carine be used as political pieces, but he was not going to be sent off by his father, not when Emperor Vincent hadn't cared for any of Schneizel's efforts. There was probably a long tirade waiting for him when he reached Pendragon again, from both his father and from the archbishop of Pendragon, but Schneizel didn't care. He would have his own way in this.

Schneizel settled down in his chair, ignoring the stack of notes that were addressed to Kanon and Eryn. His focus was on the single stack of paper that was for him.

He skimmed through Nunnally's letter, laying it aside for a time when he was completely focused on his job. Right now all his mind was useful for was going through the invitations to various parties and deciding which ones he could attend. Most of the parties would interfere with the talks, keeping him far away from the site and up far too late. There were only three nobles in the area that he would consider visiting, and only one interested him in the least.

The flaps of the tent were pushed open, Schneizel looking up from the spread of invitations over his desk as Kanon and Eryn walked in. They were both dressed in the same outfit, making them look almost identical. Schneizel smiled to himself at their ruse. It was a constant amusement to him that no one had figured out the simple trick, even better that the expectations of the people themselves didn't allow them to see it.

No one expected a woman to be present at an encampment, especially a military one. The only women on the expedition were those pretending to be at the court of King Eowyn, but Kanon had reported early on that all but the youngest were actually staying with the nobles in the area and returning to the camp in the morning to continue the farce. The nobles all thought that his future wife was off with one of the noble families in the area, the same idea that kept them from seeing what Eryn really was. Since that was the case, they only expected his future wife to appear at parties, which she did without fail. As she could keep up with the trends of the court and speak well enough to their eyes, they never questioned any part of her, right down to the fact that she was not a woman at all.

Feeling good for the first time since he had started the talks, Schneizel shuffled through the invitations again. All but one went into the bucket by the desk, where all of the others had gone. The only one that was retained was the invitation from the Enneagrams, who lived close by. As the Lord of the Enneagram estate was a Knight of the Round, Schneizel wouldn't be thought rude for leaving the party early; the family knew all too well the duties of a prince. It would also give him the chance to talk to Nonette Enneagram to see if he could convince her to visit Cornelia. Nonette and his cousin were very much alike and the war front on that end would not suffer from the addition of another knowledgeable woman, even if her job had to be disguised to please the sensibilities of the people.

He held up the invitation, looking between Kanon and Eryn. "Is the camp settled for the night?"

Eryn snapped to attention. "It will be. The guard is set up for the night and there are enough off duty who can act as an escort." She hesitated for a moment before tipping her chin up. "Will I be needed for the usual service, or will I be needed for…other things?"

Schneizel raised her eyebrow at the hesitation, not surprised by her distaste. Eryn didn't have the patience for dealing with the atmosphere of a party. She preferred to be direct and to the point, not to talk around a topic. There was also her abysmal lack of knowledge of the court gossip, which was something that Eryn couldn't fake. It was a good thing that they were past that point in their ruse. Besides, Schneizel wanted Eryn to be watching after the camp while he was gone. There was no telling what a bunch of drunken nobles would do.

He leaned back in his seat, folding his hands on the desk. He glanced between Kanon and Eryn before nodding. "The usual, Eryn. I need you here more than I need you at the party."

She breathed an obvious sigh of relief before bowing. "I'll bring the trunk then and organize your escort."

"Good." She started to leave, Schneizel halting her with a raise of his hand. "And be sure to watch out for our neighbors. We don't want a repeat of King Eowyn's rout."

That got a chuckle out of Eryn. She bowed again and stepped out of the tent, leaving Schneizel and Kanon alone.

As soon as his sister was gone, Kanon walked closer to the desk, leaning into Schneizel's personal space. Schneizel's only response was to lean forward, bracing himself on the desk. He knew the expression on Kanon's face well, and it brought a smile to his face. "I believe we were invited to a party to celebrate our engagement."

"There's business to take care of here."

"But I can't show up without my intended, it would look bad. After all, it's more of a party for her than for me. Everyone knows that I don't enjoy parties, not ones like these anyway."

Kanon laughed, now leaning on the desk as well. "And everyone knows that Eryn does, just as much as she likes the gossip. But it does come in handy. There's a surprising amount of knowledge that is discussed at the parties that you so dismiss."

"I know. But there's no point in going if I don't have an escort. It saves me the trouble of being dragged away to dance in the middle of interesting conversations." He reached over to rest his hand on the wooden casing that the wax tablet was in. "Everything that is here can wait. What we've brought from Pendragon has been straightened out as much as we can at the moment and we wait to hear from Euphy on the Saksamaa issue. Nunnally's letter deserves careful attention, which we don't have the time for at the moment. And I know you would want your time to research the matter thoroughly."

By the way that Kanon glanced away, Schneizel had been right. Then again, it wasn't hard to guess what was on his aide's mind. It was fair play in the end, because Kanon knew exactly how to manipulate Schneizel. Kanon didn't make use of his knowledge too often. On the current matter, they weren't even manipulating each other, just teasing.

Kanon came around the desk to stare at the letter, Schneizel sitting back to let him work. He only spoke when Kanon picked up the letter and paced away from the desk. "Do you have what you need here?"

"I have my notes." Kanon didn't look up from the letter. "I could have it done by the time you get back from the talks tomorrow."

Schneizel stood up and went to stand behind Kanon, careful to keep his hands by his side. He needed a distraction from the futility of the talks, but he didn't want to ruin the anticipation.

The nobles were another thing to worry about. A group of them was bound to appear to ask if he was going to the Enneagram party and he didn't want to found in a compromising position, especially so soon after announcing his intention to marry Eryn Maldini. It wasn't his reputation that he worried about; it was what would happen immediately after the discovery.

The archbishop of Pendragon was sure to denounce him for his choice in partner and at least try to condemn him. Schneizel could only hope that, if such a thing occurred, the archbishop would have the intelligence enough to phrase the condemnation softly, because he would be hanged without a trial if his father thought he was a magician. Then again, Kanon and Eryn would be accused of using magic on him to help their twisted desires, so Schneizel was not quite sure that the trade was worth it.

Out of fear, he would wait until he was back from the party. Then the nobles would see him escorting his future wife into the camp and they would leave him alone. Schneizel could trust his party of guards though; he had picked them just for that reason. Even if they saw him with Kanon, they would keep their silence. It helped that even they didn't know the whole truth. They probably thought he was marrying the sister to keep the brother close, not knowing that their commander was the same woman that he was supposed to be marrying. Schneizel often marveled about how a simple variation of spelling could make a name masculine.

Even with the guards knowing the minimum, they were safe.

Schneizel sighed, stepping forward and sliding a hand to rest on Kanon's waist. He was rewarded by Kanon leaning back into the touch for a moment before stepping away. Schneizel curled his fingers, straightening them out as Kanon looked up from the letter.

His aide went back to set the letter on the desk, pushing it to the bottom of one stack to hide it. Kanon took a deep breath, looking back up at Schneizel. "I could have the preliminary notes ready, but I can't promise anything else."

"That is all I need." Between the two of them, they could come up with an approach that Emperor Vincent would let pass and a way for new paths of diplomacy to open up. The idea of having a project that would actually move ahead was encouragement enough for Schneizel to consider Nunnally's letter. Besides, it would finally give him a hold in the north, something that the empire had not had since Charles had been sent up to Avalon to keep him away from Pendragon. Nunnally was much more agreeable than either her father or her brother.

With tomorrow's business settled, Schneizel turned to the trunk that was pushed away towards the back of his tent. He had packed a few formal outfits, just in case he couldn't avoid the parties he would be invited to. There was also the outfit that he would have to wear if Emperor Vincent actually decided to show up at the talks. His father believed that things should be done with all the decorum of the court, even if it caused more of a hassle.

He pulled out a purple tunic, rooting around for the white coat that went with it. Schneizel heard Kanon come around, about to ask where certain pieces of clothing were when there was a grunt from the front of the tent. He stood up and turned, watching as Eryn guided two men in with another trunk.

The guards set it down to the side, bowing to Schneizel before leaving the tent. Eryn remained behind, opening the trunk before going to stand behind it. She glanced at her brother and gave him a shrug. "You know I'm hopeless with this stuff. Just don't embarrass my name."

Kanon sniffed and began to look through the clothes. "I'm the reason your name doesn't have any embarrassment attached to it."

Schneizel let them bicker, looking between two coats. He only warning that Kanon was coming was a lull in the argument, Kanon walking over and taking the white coat from his left hand. Schneizel accepted the choice without an argument; the white drape and belt were closer to the top of the trunk anyway. Without a thought to Eryn, he began to change, listening to the continued argument. From the sounds of things, Eryn wasn't paying attention.

He turned as he belted the tunic into place, having to pull the belt tighter than usual. Schneizel frowned at that, the stress was making him lose weight. That was another reason to wrap these talks up quickly, he want to look sickly by the time he finished up with the tribes. People would lose confidence in him, something that none of them could afford.

Schneizel tugged at his coat to get it sitting right on his shoulder, examining the gold on his cuffs. His second favorite coat still looked in good shape, a good thing because he wanted it to be able to last a while longer. He preferred white to his other darker coats or the one that had the royal sigil embroidered all over it. That was more in the style of his father and older brother. Schneizel brushed off the end of his coat, glancing down before wrapping the drape around his shoulders and pinning it into place.

The pin was the only allowance he made to his station as a part of the royal family. He had no need to display his status all over his clothes; the people of Pendragon knew who he was well enough. It was his confidence that assured that he was listened to, not any threats made, which set him apart from his father.

Schneizel brushed his fingers over the entwined lion and snake, both worked in gold and crowned. He rubbed the gold until there was a shine to it, pleased enough with its placement.

He turned around, looking over at where Kanon was adjusting the belt over his surcoat and kirtle. Schneizel raised his eyebrow at Kanon's choice in dress, but didn't comment. The persona of Eryn Maldini, the one that all of Britannia thought he was marrying, was purely a creation of Kanon and Schneizel would let him do what he wanted. But he couldn't keep himself from making a comment.

"I thought the current trend was to match."

Kanon paused in his adjustment, glancing at his black and gold surcoat before looking up at Schneizel. "We could, but it wouldn't be right to draw attention away from you. You are a prince after all. Besides, it's a relief to get out of the red and silver of the Maldini house. I'm experimenting a bit."

Schneizel stared at the teal kirkle that he could see under Kanon's surcoat, finding himself nodding slowly. It was a change from the Maldini colors that Kanon had tended towards before, a drastic change. There was probably an elaborate plan behind it, one that Schneizel would have to get Kanon to explain later. He didn't want to be found wanting when the questions came.

He accepted the choice with a tip of his head, watching as Kanon quickly arranged his long hair over his shoulders, not bothering to pull it up into a style. Not that Kanon had to worry, his standing as Schneizel's fiancée would guarantee that whatever he chose would become the latest style. Schneizel considered the idea a good weapon to use later. If the nobles wanted to keep up with Eryn Maldini, they would rush to merchants who came from foreign countries or those that could imitate the style. It was something to look into.

The flaps of the tent were pulled aside, Schneizel seeing Eryn begin to pull out her sword out of the corner of his eye. He raised a hand to keep her from attack, a move that was not needed. The guard bowed to Schneizel, using the time to catch his breath. "There is a group that is looking for you, my prince. They want to know if you will ride with them to the Enneagram manor." The guard paused again, only then noticing where Kanon stood behind Schneizel. The man blushed and bowed again. "My lady."

Kanon just tipped his head in a nod, Schneizel smiling and offering his arm. Kanon stepped forward and took his arm, slipping easily into his role of Eryn Maldini. Schneizel patted Kanon's arm, looking back toward the guard. "Go out and tell them that we will. There are just a few more things that I have to attend to. Have Damocles and Belenos saddled. The countess expressed a desire to ride tonight."

The guard didn't argue as the request wasn't strange. After all, everyone knew that Eryn Maldini came from the lands southeast of Pendragon and that she would have ridden more. The carriage was more the fashion of Pendragon and the surrounding cities than anywhere else. It was only in Pendragon that the roads were sure enough to allow for constant carriage traffic. Horses were more dependable everywhere else. And Kanon's horse was steady enough to be a woman's mount, and trained in the side saddle that Kanon would need to use.

Schneizel kept his hold on Kanon until the guard was gone, letting go of his aide to allow Kanon to finish up with his wardrobe. He went over to Eryn, watching his knight come to attention again. Schneizel smiled and patted her shoulder. "Watch the tribes carefully."

"Worried about an attack?"

"Not from them. There are enough young idiots among our entourage to try and solve this problem the more glorious way. I don't want a slaughter to be ascribed to my name, no matter if we win or not."

Eryn saluted and walked out of the tent, Schneizel nodding to himself. For another day, the negotiations were safe. Schneizel hoped that the guards he had with him would be enough to deter the nobles while they were playing in their fantasy and for when they grew bored with the hardships of living out in the field. He would look into bringing more guards down when he was sure that the move wouldn't be considered an act of aggression by the tribes.

"My lady." He held out his arm for Kanon, hearing the soft swish of his skirts as Kanon approached. Schneizel turned to look at his aide as Kanon took his arm, glancing over the light coloring that Kanon had put on his cheeks and his lips, a careful application that softened his face and made him look more feminine. Schneizel nodded his approval and escorted Kanon out of the tent, feeling more than seeing when Kanon slipped entirely into the role of Eryn Maldini. Kanon leaned more heavily on his arm and his body, losing the posture that he held as his aide.

More out of habit than reassurance, Schneizel patted Kanon's hand. The reply, as it always was, was for Kanon to rest his head as close to Schneizel's shoulder as he could. It was the perfect picture of a couple in love.

Assured of their cover, Schneizel guided Kanon over toward the sound of voices, where Damocles and Belenos were sure to be waiting.

* * *

The party had been just as Kanon had expected; plenty of dancing to entertain the young women who had flocked to the Enneagram manor and plenty of toasts to Prince Schneizel and all of his various successes. The last one had been to Schneizel's upcoming marriage to Countess Eryn Maldini, which had been met with far less annoyed glances than the announcement had provided in Pendragon.

Kanon sipped at his cup of wine, glancing around the room as he took a break. As a rule, he didn't enjoy the parties either. Both he and his sister had been brought up in an environment completely different to the capital. At Keldton Hall, they had both worked hard to keep the estate running well. Parties were usually something special, something they Kanon didn't have to attend on the nearly constant basis. But they were a small price to pay for his position and a well known hub for gossip, which was as useful as it was entertaining.

He finished off his wine, setting it down on the table while he looked around. Schneizel was off doing his rounds with the noblemen, talking about the status of the southern holdings and hearing the various complaints from the boarders. Eryn Maldini, while interested in the subject, wouldn't want to stand around listening to that kind of talk, which left Kanon free to wander through the party. He could already see two circles of ladies that were waiting for him to wander over; all he had to decide upon was which to enter first. Settling on the one who had more connections to the Maldini family, Kanon walked over, careful to keep his steps small and light.

After thirteen years of pretending to be his sister, or at least a more gentrified version of her, the proper posture and movement came easily if not naturally.

Kanon smiled as he walked up to the group, accepting the various congratulations with a nod. He allowed someone to grab onto his arm, pull him into the group and catching him up on what the others had been talking about. Kanon paid careful attention to the gossip, mentally filing it away to discuss some of it with Schneizel later. The rest he would have to remember to play his part properly. Thankfully, his job made sure that he got the best news about the empire sooner than the rest of the court or the nobles in the south. Equally as important was his control over the fashions of the court. For as long as Countess Eryn Maldini existed, the fashion would be loose dresses, because it made it easy to hide the fact that he completely lacked a figure.

His arm was tugged repeatedly to pull him back into the conversation, Kanon looking at the young woman on his right. She glanced around the circle before leaning forward. "Can you tell us anything about the tribes?"

"I only know what the prince tells me."

"He doesn't let you go with him?"

"Is it that dangerous?"

Kanon shook his head, falling back into the familiar role of reassuring the women of Britannia. "He doesn't let me go with him because I am not essential." There were a few protests from the woman around him, Kanon shaking his head with a laugh. "All I know about diplomacy is from Schneizel and I doubt that I would have anything to add to the conversation. And it's perfectly safe, or I wouldn't be here. But too many people in the talks would make it look like we were ganging up on them, which is not what Schneizel wants."

From the looks that he was given from around the circle, the women didn't agree with him. Kanon let the looks pass, taking note on how ingrained Emperor Vincent's ideas were. Then again, the tribes and the Britannians had fought over this area for the longest time. It would be harder to convince the people here that agreement on both sides was the ideal.

The topic was quickly changed to the future, the one that Schneizel and Kanon had not even begun to plan. It was easy enough to put them off with promises of after the affair in the south was finished. He couldn't push further back than that or they would start to get suspicious. What Kanon wanted to do was to push the wedding back until there was a lull in their work. He could fell one approaching, but that would have to wait until the war with the Sviariki was finished, and that would take far longer than anyone in Britannia wanted to wait. Unless he wanted to have Schneizel snatched away from him, he would have to move faster than he wanted.

Maybe he could convince Schneizel to retreat to one of the royal palaces that was closer to Sviariki so they could concentrate on ending the war there. It would also give them a chance to catch up with Cornelia and anyone else that Schneizel decided to send to the front.

Kanon smiled and promised that the wedding would come after the tribes were finished, already dreading the amount of planning that would have to take place to accomplish a royal wedding. As Schneizel aide, it was only right that he would plan the wedding to help his prince, but he had hoped that he would be able to use his dual status as the bride to push the job off to someone else in the prince's staff. He couldn't pass the job off to anyone in his family; they would know the moment he entered that he wasn't Eryn. How they would be invited to attend was something that Kanon had no idea how to handle. It was something that he was more than willing to leave it up to Schneizel.

Someone brushed against him as she passed, her hand resting on his elbow. Kanon dropped his hand back, turning around to apologize at the same time a piece of paper was slipping into his hand. Lady Monica Kruszewski muttered an apology and scurried off, leaving the group alone. Kanon smiled to himself and surreptitiously tucked the note into his belt. That was one report from their spies in, and Kanon was sure that he would collect others as he moved around the room. All of the reports would be looked over once they got back from the party.

It amused Schneizel to employ mostly female spies, simply because the archbishop kept speaking out against any female that he considered out of place by the church. Any woman that Schneizel picked for the job would be the best for the position, and not suspected in the least.

Kanon went from group to group, trading gossip and gathering the news. Even if it was a few weeks late from the capital, it was better than waiting for another week. There were a few people in the room that genuinely liked Kanon as his persona, but there were equally as many that only spoke to him because it would mean access to Schneizel. Anyone would want that, especially when the emperor seemed to be so unstable at times. Kanon ignored the latter group, focusing on trading gossip and sampling some of the wine that was brought out. He even dared to dance a few times with Schneizel, letting himself enjoy the party.

* * *

The camp was quiet when they rode in, the only ones up the night guards that Eryn had put up around the tents. One guard raised one hand in a wave, changing the motion to the proper bow as they went past. Kanon ignored the attempt at proper procedures, swaying a bit in the saddle. He was eternally glad that Belenos was such a steady horse, far steadier than Eryn's warhorse Tenney. Kanon had tried to ride the chestnut once when Eyrn had been forced to take her turn masquerading as the countess persona, and he had never been happier to arrive to a place in his life.

It probably didn't help that he was a bit tipsy. Most it had worn off on the ride back to the camp, leaving him feeling pleasantly warm and sleepy. He wouldn't have a hangover come morning, but he would want to sleep in later. If things progressed as they usually did, Schneizel would want him to stay behind to look after the camp and to start looking into Nunnally's letter.

Schneizel dismounted in front of him, Kanon waiting until two guards had come to stand by Belenos. One held the reins with the other offered him a hand down, Kanon accepting graciously. One guard led the horse away while the other reported to Schneizel in a low voice. Kanon couldn't hear much, the guard probably keeping his voice down so as not to worry the countess. It was enough to make Kanon want to roll his eyes. Given a change of clothes, the same report would be given to him without question. He was glad when Schneizel offered his arm, Kanon taking it and allowing himself to be escorted back to Schneizel's tent.

He was sure that there would be some surprised looks from the guards if he looked back, not that he cared. Eryn Maldini was properly proposed to and he was not going to do their usual sneak around, not tonight. Not when he could already feel Schneizel's arm slipping from his. As he expected, Schneizel's arm slid around his waist, Schneizel's hand resting on his hipbone. The steady weight there was a promise, one that sent shivers up his spine.

They had been too busy, too tired lately to do anything other than sleep in the same bed. Schneizel had always been up before Kanon had, gone and then they worked until long past midnight; about this time actually.

What Kanon wanted to do was to lean into Schneizel, but they weren't in the right place for it. The guards would catch it and the rumors would spread; rumors that Schneizel couldn't afford. He sighed and allowed himself to be swept into Schneizel's tent.

The first thing he did was to strip off his surcoat, tossing it over toward the trunk. The clothes were expensive and needed to be taken care of. What he wanted to do was to strip until he was down to his chemise and just collapse into the bed, hopefully with Schneizel was well. He glanced over at Schneizel narrowing his eyes when he saw that Schneizel was standing over at the desk, still completely dressed.

Schneizel was looking over the papers, double checking if they were all there. It was necessary, just in case one of the nobles tried to take the talks into their own hands. But, from the way that Schneizel was settling the papers down, Kanon could tell that everything was accounted for. Schneizel leaned against the desk, staring over at Kanon with a smile on his face. "Getting settled already?"

"No reason not to. The countess is a betrothed woman; she allowed to spend time with her future husband. There are rumors about the two of us already, so it should be no surprise that this is true." Kanon paused, playing with the belt that he had taken off. "We can risk this."

He saw Schneizel's eyes flick down his body, Kanon standing under the scrutiny. He met Schneizel's gaze when the prince looked up again, a faint smile on his face. It was the only sign of the challenge that Kanon was offering Schneizel, and he knew that Schneizel could never resist a challenge.

The response was a subtle one, Schneizel stepping away from his desk and pull the curtain that had been set up to hide the bed to one side. Schneizel remained by the curtain, the invitation obvious.

Kanon tossed the belt to one side, letting it fall over the black and gold surcoat. Unencumbered, Kanon reached for the ties to his kirtle, surprised when Schneizel stepped close.

He looked up at Schneizel, only getting a teasing puff of air across his lips as Schneizel undid the ties. Schneizel's fingers lingered on the strips of dyed cloth, turning them in the dim light from the lamps before stepping away. The ties slipped through his fingers, dangling between them before Schneizel let them go. "I like this color on you."

"Do you?" Kanon stripped the kirtle off, letting it fall with far less care than he had taken with his surcoat. "I happen to like it too."

"Then we are in agreement." Schneizel took Kanon's hand, backing up towards the bed. Kanon followed without question, as he had done for thirteen years. Just before they passed over the threshold, Schneizel pressed a kiss to Kanon's hand and let go.

It was just another tease, another part of the game they had played since they were fifteen; just to see how far one or the other could push until they were all out of patience. Kanon elected to lose, briskly stepping forward and pressing his lips against Schneizel's. He heard Schneizel huff, the only celebration of his victory before Schneizel was kissing back.

Schneizel didn't let the kiss linger for long, pulling back so he could maneuver Kanon towards the bed. Kanon allowed himself to be backed up against the edge of the bed, watching as Schneizel quickly undid the drape around his shoulders and tossed it onto one of the poles. Schneizel's surcoat followed next. Kanon allowed himself a moment of motionlessness before going to assist his prince, his hands working on the belt around Schneizel's waist while the price toed off his shoes.

The undressing wasn't remotely titillating; it was just something to be done quickly. Kanon knew that the prince enjoyed the finer things in life, but suffered from a need to get things done efficiently which transferred to all things. Thankfully, Schneizel also enjoyed making sure everything was done thoroughly. Besides, the arousing thing was watching bits of Schneizel come undone, pieces of the carefully held together prince go flying off as Schneizel allowed himself to truly relax in a way that he so rarely did anymore.

Kanon lost track of the belt as it came undone, his fingers already rucking up the prince's tunic to get to the hose underneath. While Schneizel wanted to work quickly through this part for efficiencies' sake, Kanon was just impatient. It had been a long time since they had been left alone, which had left them the teasing game that they played. Kanon could only be expected to work unaffected for so long, especially since he and Schneizel actively refrained from touching each other. Each touch for him when he was the countess was a reward and a promise of some further reward later, and Kanon _ached_ for it.

He was pushed away, Kanon catching himself on the bed. He watched as Schneizel pulled the tunic up over his head, Kanon deciding not to linger. Tonight was not the night for lingering. That would come after the wedding. After all, he had to leave himself some first to make the whole nightmare of an affair special. An entire day with the prospect of just being able to remain in bed with Schneizel was enough to make up for suffering through the spare moments that they could catch. No one would dare bother a newly married couple.

The tunic disappeared in some direction, discarded as Schneizel climbed onto the bed and pulled Kanon close. One of his hands rested on Kanon's hip, curling around the bone and exerting enough gentle pressure to keep Kanon from squirming. Kanon shivered as Schneizel's other hand brushed up his side, the briefest of caresses before Schneizel was pressing him back into the bed and kissing him again.

Kanon went without a complaint, not when he wanted to move faster. He did manage to wiggle his captive shoulder enough for Schneizel to lighten his hold, taking advantage of the leeway allowed to him. Kanon reached up to grip Schneizel's shoulders, giving a small push as a form of order for Schneizel to stay exactly where he was. Only then did he slide on hand down Schneizel's back. He didn't bother to revel in the play of muscles there, which was impressive, not when he was going for a better hold that would make sure that Schneizel wouldn't wiggle away. There was a spot under Schneizel's left shoulder that always made him shiver and press closer, Kanon brushing over it a few times just to enjoy the reaction.

On the third time, Schneizel pulled away. Kanon regretted not establishing a proper hold to make sure that Schneizel stayed, but he didn't have long to regret it when the grip on his hip let up. He meant to sit up and pull Schneizel down for another longer kiss, but the prince was already moving, reaching down for the small basket on the floor. Kanon tried to sit up to see what Schneizel was going for, but his other shoulder was caught and given a light shove.

It was a familiar cue, but one that wasn't used often. Kanon raised an eyebrow and rolled onto his stomach, waiting for the perfect moment.

When Schneizel slid back onto the bed, Kanon moved, arching his body up into Schneizel's. He smiled to himself at the soft groan that Schneizel barely managed to cover up. Kanon counted that a victory on his part, albeit his only one for the night from the way that Schneizel was pulling him close. He eagerly submitted to the hold, grabbing fistfuls of the sheet.

Neither of them were in the mood for much foreplay, not when the party had been filled with coy glances and stolen touches. They had both grown up in court and knew how to play that game. The anticipation of what would come after was more than enough to get him aroused, leaving nothing but the need and impatience as soon as they got to the bedroom.

Kanon was on the verge of reaching back to remind Schneizel that he was not going to wait all night when he felt the first swipe of something wet against his hole. He looked back at Schneizel, earning a small smile from the prince before Schneizel pushed the finger in deeper. It stung a little, but Kanon was more than willing to overlook the little bit of pain. His mind was focused only on the pleasure that would come later.

He rocked back on the single digit, biting his lip to keep from giving Schneizel orders. They were equals in the bedroom, but it would take longer for Kanon to break out of his life of conditioning; one did not give orders to princes. Instead, he tried to encourage Schneizel to move faster. But he made sure to keep any noise that he made quiet. Like this, he couldn't be sure that he would be able to keep his voice in the range he needed to be thought a woman. And any noise could bring the guards, no matter what those at the front of Schneizel's tent reported. The prince took his security seriously.

But he showed his appreciation in the way that he pushed back onto Schneizel and the way that he grabbed at the arm that Schneizel had braced on the bed. Kanon leaned into the arm, feeling in tremble a moment before accepting his weight. He turned his head and began brushing kisses across what skin his could reach, well aware of how sloppy they were. It was hard to concentrate, especially when Schneizel added the second finger.

Kanon arched his back, biting his lip just in time to quiet a gasp at a particularly clever twist. He almost gave up his self imposed silence to demand that Schneizel move faster, calmed when Schneizel moved the arm that was braced on the bed. Kanon missed its presence to lean on for a moment before Schneizel was resting a hand on his shoulder. It was a gently, stable touch and just what Kanon needed to keep a hold on his control.

All too soon it was gone, Kanon hissing as the fingers were removed as well. He used the moment of inaction to loosen his hold on the sheets, carefully flexing his fingers before placing his hands flat on the bed again. By then Schneizel was ready, Kanon giving a sharp nod in response to the unasked question.

The moment of anticipation was not drawn out, Kanon leaning back at the feeling of Schneizel against him and then inside of him. He tipped his head back, a soft moan escaping him. For once, Kanon didn't bother to bite it back. It was quiet enough to not attract attention, and it did have the nice affect of Schneizel briefly losing some of his careful control. Kanon grinned to himself, ducking his head and shifting so he would have some leverage.

Schneizel was the one who set the rhythm as he always did, Kanon allowing his body to go with the gentle rocking motion. Riding the edge as they both were, it wouldn't take much. He did free one hand from the covers to reach back and grab a hold of Schneizel's leg. He used the hold to hitch Schneizel closer. Even if they wouldn't last long, Kanon wanted the closeness while he could; he would gladly exchange one for the other.

Assured of the position that he wanted, Kanon closed his eyes and began to push back with Schneizel's thrusts. It felt good to be so full, Schneizel not pulling fully out before pushing back in.

He felt a puff of warm air, and then Schneizel was resting his forehead against Kanon's neck. Kanon felt Schneizel press a few kisses to the top of his back, but never anything harder. There couldn't be marks come morning, they both knew that. Marks would mean questions that they couldn't afford. Kanon was more than happy with the kisses that Schneizel gave him, all of them unusually soft for Schneizel. Kanon shifted his weight, freeing up one hand to slide it into Schneizel's hair.

It didn't get much of a reaction, aside from a split second stutter of his hips. Kanon scraped his nails over Schneizel's scalp, surprised when Schneizel turned his face into the touch. It was as affectionate as Schneizel ever got.

Kanon fell onto one elbow at a particularly hard thrust, feeling Schneizel lean over him to take advantage of the new angle. He took a deep breath and pressed his face into the covers to muffle the gasps and moans that escaped as Schneizel sped up. He briefly tightened his hold on Schneizel's hair before letting go and allowing is hand to rest of the bed again. In the new position, Kanon could push back better as well.

Schneizel's rhythm stuttered once more, Kanon groaning and reaching underneath himself to grab a hold of his own cock. At the moment, Schneizel was too focused on his own pleasure than Kanon's.

All it took was a few strokes of his cock; the friction in addition to the heavy weight of Schneizel plastered all along his back was enough to get him off.

Kanon gave a choked moan, pressing his face against the bed to stop any more sound as his body jerked. He felt come spill over his hand, sticky and warm. Kanon smiled to himself, feeling Schneizel shudder above him before more of the prince's weight fell over him. He groaned into the covers, trying to shift into a slightly more comfortable position, but not really feeling the need to move. Schneizel would shift long before Kanon was crushed, and then Kanon would have to clean up himself.

He wiped his sticky hand on the sheet, making a mental note to have someone clean the sheets tomorrow. There were plenty of guards who would be bored and plenty of servants in the other camp. He would take Belenos over in the morning and fake vague amusement at his superior's antics. Beyond that, he would wait until his current languor was gone.

He barely moved as Schneizel slipped out of him, Kanon wincing a little. Schneizel brushed a hand over his shoulder before settling on his side of the bed. Kanon preferred to remain where he was, sprawled out on the bed and feeling his body slowly cool down even as his brain began to start running through his to do list. He sighed and clawed his way up to where the pillows were, firmly telling himself that he would worry about other things _tomorrow_ and not while his body still tingled pleasantly.

Kanon felt the mattress dip as Schneizel shifted, the prince probably already drifting off to sleep. Kanon turned his head, watching as Schneizel groped for the covers.

It was a simple enough manner to rock forward, grabbing the edge of the covers from where it was trapped under his body and flip it up. Kanon let himself sprawl back on the bed as Schneizel pulled the blanket up over himself. While Schneizel may run cold, Kanon was still to hot to even think about getting under the covers, or seeking out some form of clothing as Schneizel would do an hour or two from now. Only when he cooled down would he seek out his chemise and crawl under the covers.

Kanon shut his eyes again, feeling Schneizel shift to get comfortable. He was contemplating lifting himself up from the covers again when Schneizel rolled toward him, pulling an arm out from under the covers. Schneizel's fingers brushed over Kanon's back, curling slightly in a half asleep attempt to pull Kanon closer before Schneizel gave up, apparently deciding that sleep was more conducive than trying to pull Kanon over by his fingertips.

He smiled at the effort, giving in to Schneizel by scooting closer so the prince's hand rested over his back. It was their usual position as Kanon refused to give up the comfort of sleeping on his stomach and Schneizel never attempted to curl close to him unless one of them rolled toward the other in the night.

In any case, the effort seemed to be appreciated. Schneizel gave a happy sounding huff before drifting into the usual stillness that signaled sleep. Kanon smiled at Schneizel's slack face before settling himself comfortably. He wouldn't drift off for a while, at least not until he decided to go after clothing. Tonight was not one of the nights that he would go out to the main section of the tent and seek out work to do; he was far too worn out for that.

He felt Schneizel's fingers move along his back in a soft caress, Kanon smiling at the motion. He settled more firmly on the bed and closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the camp as he allowed himself to drift.

* * *

_Nunnally,_

_Please excuse the lateness of my reply. The talks with the southern tribes extended far beyond what I expected and were nearly brought to a halt twice before intense negotiations were even reached. With the danger passed and a whole season gone, there is a new treaty with the southern tribes about to be ratified. _

_As for your request, I don't see why an increase in trade would make Britannia suffer. Once my father is away from the tribes and focusing on the matters of Britannia alone, I will bring up the idea to him. I will see to it that he will believe that the idea was his own by the time I am finished speaking. You will meet with no resistance from Pendragon._

_I will be sending two new diplomats north as soon as the roads are clear who will be acting on your behalf within Nippon and Circassia. Their reports will pass through Avalon first and you will read them before sending them on to me. As you are the lady in command of the northern borders, it is your right to keep an eye on any correspondence coming through._

_The best way to approach the countries would be appeal to their own greed. I have heard that you are opening the old mountain villas. Spread the word about the treasure that you have found there. Also, please tell them that trade with the south will be open as well. Offer to guard the roads into Britannia and used the villas as forts or inns, there might as well be a use for them. Do not worry cousin, my father will not focus too long on what you are doing in the north. He has my own wedding to worry about as well as a treaty that he hates, but cannot deny. _

_There will be more news coming his way that will distract him, as I have gotten word from Cornelia about the war with the Sviariki. While we have won, we have ceded much of the land that he seized. If that was not enough of an insult, many of the generals toward the end of the war were women and I do not think they will give up power so easily, especially when Cornelia managed to lead the war herself despite being pregnant. I think there is something to be considered there. If you would keep your eye out for any promising young women from the north that could be placed in a position there, I would be in your debt if you sent me word._

_I have also, recently, gotten word of your own upcoming marriage. I will make sure that Euphemia is free to return to the north in enough time to make it. As for myself, I will try my best to be in Avalon in time for the marriage, if not then soon afterward with my own bride. Everything depends on the state of the empire, which changes from day to day._

_I wish you well._

_Schneizel el Britannia_

END


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